Ellis County

Ellis County, Kansas — key demographics

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Population Estimates Program, July 1, 2023; American Community Survey 2019–2023 5-year estimates). Values rounded.

• Population size:

  • ~29,000 (2023 estimate; 2020 Census: 28,934)

• Age:

  • Median age: ~33
  • Under 18: ~20%
  • 65 and over: ~17%

• Gender:

  • Female: ~50%
  • Male: ~50%

• Race/ethnicity:

  • White, non-Hispanic: ~86%
  • Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~8%
  • Black or African American, non-Hispanic: ~1–2%
  • Asian, non-Hispanic: ~1–2%
  • American Indian/Alaska Native, non-Hispanic: ~0.5%
  • Two or more races, non-Hispanic: ~3–4%

• Households:

  • Households: ~12,200
  • Average household size: ~2.3
  • Family households: ~57% of households
  • Households with children under 18: ~25%
  • Owner-occupied housing rate: ~61%

Ellis County, KS email usage (estimates)

• Users: ~20,000–23,000 people use email regularly (roughly 70–80% of the total population; ~85–90% of adults).
• Age distribution of email users:
  • 18–29: ~25–30% (boosted by Fort Hays State University)
  • 30–49: ~30–35%
  • 50–64: ~20–25%
  • 65+: ~10–15%
  • Teens (13–17): smaller share but high adoption among those online
• Gender split: Approximately even; slight female majority (~51/49) mirroring the county’s population.
• Digital access trends:
  • Household internet: ~85–90% with a broadband subscription; >90% have a computer or smartphone.
  • 10–15% are likely smartphone‑only internet users.
  • Hays has fiber/cable options and campus Wi‑Fi; rural areas rely more on fixed wireless/DSL and experience lower speeds.
  • Mobile LTE/5G is strong along the I‑70 corridor; coverage thins in sparsely populated areas.
• Local density/connectivity context:
  • Most residents live in Hays (roughly 70% of the county), concentrating high‑speed access there.
  • Countywide population density is low (on the order of a few dozen people per square mile), which raises last‑mile costs and contributes to rural service gaps.

Here’s a concise, locally grounded snapshot of mobile phone usage in Ellis County, Kansas, with emphasis on how it differs from statewide patterns.

User estimates

• Resident smartphone users: Approximately 20,000–23,000. Method: county population ~29k, adult share ~78–80%, adult smartphone adoption near 88–90% (U.S./KS levels), plus very high teen adoption. A sizable on-campus student population in Hays likely nudges the local rate above the Kansas average.
• Mobile-only internet households: Likely 22–28% of households, somewhat above the Kansas average, driven by students and renters in Hays who substitute mobile data for home broadband. The Affordable Connectivity Program’s wind-down in 2024 likely pushed some cost-sensitive homes toward mobile-only plans.
• Lines per person: Expected to be slightly above rural-Kansas norms because of student-driven demand for hotspots/tablets and strong in-county regional carrier presence.

Demographic breakdown (what stands out locally)

• Age: Higher share of 18–24s than Kansas overall due to Fort Hays State University. This group shows near-saturation smartphone use and a higher propensity for mobile-only access and prepaid/BYOD plans.
• Seniors: Adoption among 65+ is likely a bit higher than rural-Kansas averages, helped by better in-town coverage, healthcare system engagement in Hays, and retail support from local carriers.
• Urban vs rural within the county: Hays residents show higher 5G use, higher data consumption, and more device variety; outlying areas skew toward coverage-first plans and voice/text reliability.
• Housing/income: More renters and shared households in Hays correlate with prepaid and budget-friendly family plans; outside Hays, plans more often tied to coverage longevity with national carriers.

Digital infrastructure highlights

• Carriers and market mix: In addition to the national carriers (AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon), Nex‑Tech Wireless—a regional provider with a strong western Kansas footprint—has notable local market share. This differs from much of Kansas where the “big three” dominate.
• Coverage and 5G:
  • Hays and the I‑70 corridor have strong LTE and broadly available low-band 5G; mid-band 5G capacity is concentrated in and around Hays and along the interstate.
  • Rural parts of the county (north/south of Hays) still experience patchy capacity and occasional dead spots, especially indoors and in low-lying areas.
• Backhaul and fiber: Robust local fiber from regional ISPs (e.g., Nex‑Tech, Eagle Communications) supports tower backhaul and campus/institutional networks, improving 5G performance in Hays more than is typical for a rural county.
• Fixed wireless and offload: Multiple fixed-wireless options in the county and dense Wi‑Fi on the FHSU campus and in public institutions facilitate significant Wi‑Fi offload in town.
• Public safety: FirstNet coverage via AT&T is present along the interstate and population centers; mutual-aid and highway corridors benefit from stronger reliability than many peer rural counties.

Trends and differences vs Kansas statewide

• Higher youth/student skew drives:
  • Above-average smartphone adoption
  • Higher share of mobile-only households
  • Greater use of prepaid and flexible plans
• Carrier landscape is more diversified due to a strong regional carrier (Nex‑Tech Wireless), which can offer competitive coverage and pricing locally—less typical elsewhere in Kansas.
• Coverage quality in the main population center (Hays) is closer to small-metro standards, supported by fiber backhaul and institutional networks; the urban–rural gap within the county is sharper than the statewide average.
• Transit-driven demand along I‑70 (plus university events) creates noticeable peak loads and a larger share of non-resident devices connecting to local networks.
• Post-ACP dynamics likely shifted a slightly larger slice of low-income/student users to mobile-only in Ellis County than statewide.

Notes on estimation

• Population base from recent Census/ACS estimates for Ellis County; adoption rates benchmarked to Pew/NTIA U.S. and Kansas figures and adjusted upward for the county’s student-heavy age mix.
• Exact tower counts, per-carrier market shares, and block-level coverage can vary; mid-band 5G availability is evolving. For planning, verify with carrier coverage maps, FCC Broadband Data Collection maps, and local ISPs/carriers.

Below is a concise, best-available snapshot for Ellis County, Kansas. Exact county-level platform data aren’t published; figures are modeled from Pew Research (2023–2024), ACS demographics, and “rural college-town” patterns (FHSU in Hays). Treat percentages as estimates.

Population context

• ~29k residents; ~21–22k adults. Hays houses ~70–75% of the county; Fort Hays State University skews the market younger during the school year.

User stats (reach/penetration)

• Estimated monthly social media users: 20k–23k residents (≈70–80% of total pop; ≈80–88% of adults).
• Smartphone use among adults: ≈85–90%.

Age mix of social users (share of local social media audience)

• 13–17: 8–10%
• 18–24: 20–25% (inflated by FHSU)
• 25–34: 18–20%
• 35–54: 28–32%
• 55+: 18–22%

Gender breakdown (share of local social users)

• Female: 51–55%
• Male: 45–49%
• Notes: Pinterest/Instagram skew female; Reddit/YouTube/X skew male; Snapchat/TikTok balanced but younger.

Most-used platforms among adults (estimated adoption)

• YouTube: 80–85%
• Facebook: 65–72% (near-universal in 35+; strong groups/marketplaces)
• Instagram: 40–50% (strong 18–34)
• Snapchat: 30–40% overall; 75–85% among 18–29
• TikTok: 30–38% overall; 55–65% among 18–29
• Pinterest: 30–36% (female skew, home/DIY/recipes)
• LinkedIn: 18–25% (education/healthcare/government)
• X/Twitter: 15–22% (news, weather, sports)
• Reddit: 15–20% (male 18–34)
• WhatsApp: 15–22% (international students, some immigrant families)
• Nextdoor: <5% (limited footprint in small towns)

Behavioral trends

• Facebook is the community hub: buy/sell/trade, school/church events, local politics, storm coverage, road closures, obituaries. Businesses rely on pages and boosted posts more than complex ad funnels.
• Short-form video rising: TikTok and Instagram Reels for restaurants, campus life, festivals; cross-posting common.
• Messaging patterns: Snapchat and IG DMs dominate among high school/college; Facebook Messenger for broader community; WhatsApp used by international students.
• News/alerts: Local news (e.g., Hays Post/Eagle), school updates, and NWS weather get high Facebook engagement; a niche uses X/Twitter for real-time weather and FHSU/HS sports.
• Content that performs: Hyperlocal photos, school sports highlights, event reminders, severe-weather updates, and practical info (closures, detours). Authentic, community-voiced posts outperform polished ads.
• Timing: Evenings (7–10 pm) and early mornings (school/work check-ins) see the highest activity; weekend spikes around events.

Notes on uncertainty

• County-specific measurement is limited; figures above are modeled from national platform adoption and adjusted for a younger, university-influenced, rural market.